Current Media said it would shed 80 people, confirming earlier reports, and will make its…
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We received a couple of email tips wondering if layoffs might hit again this year, and if so how bad they'll be. If the trend is any guide, the cuts will keep getting worse. Current's latest strategy shift augurs deeper cuts as well, at some future point if not tomorrow. Under the guidance of former MTV executive Mark Rosenthal, who took over from Current's CEO last year, Current is becoming much more like a traditional network, which buys content from other companies, and less like the freewheeling, user-generated channel Gore initially envisioned. In June, the Hollywood Reporter said the new model "should be evident on air first quarter of 2011" and that "early word is Current will be nowhere near its former staff size. Rather, it will be restructured less like one massive news bureau and more like a traditional cable channel, with formal departments for development and acquisition."

We reached out to four of our Current TV press contacts; we're still waiting to hear back from the two who still apparently have their jobs. If you know what's up, we'd love to hear from you.